Pastor's Blog

The team’s Tuesday was normal.  The medical folks headed to the coast where it was hot.  They had a good day.

The building team finished up the houses with the exception of one or two pieces of hardware on a door/window or two.

So, all is well.  Thank you for praying and checking on this team.

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  (Psalm 119:11)

Steven Johns did well through his surgery and should be discharged today.  Keep praying.

Our good friends in Montgomery, Decker & Martha Terry, have been having some tough days due to Martha’s physical condition. However, she has made some improvement and for that we are most grateful.  Please pray for Martha and Decker.  Folks, this is an awesome godly couple.  Great supporters of ministry and great prayer warriors.

Regular schedule this morning and evening.  Bro. Jerry will be teaching in my absence.

I pray that you will have a great Wednesday with Jesus.

The team left the mission house around 8:00AM with the medical folks heading toward Antigua while the builders went West again.  Have to be honest in saying that I am not hearing numbers from the medical folks (which is my fault) so I do not have an accurate report.

The builders have twelve houses done with eleven having received concrete.  Today will be a full day.

Almost everyone enjoyed an afternoon in Antigua yesterday and then all came together for a meal at Las Antorchas last night.  Good food and good fellowship.

Today, my wife, Lisa, has two very important speaking engagements on behalf of this ministry.  Thanks to Tony Gettig, Soy & Deidra for their help getting a presentation together.  Pray for Lisa today.

Keep praying for this team.

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  (Psalm 119:11)

Steven Johns will be having surgery today.  Pray that all goes well.  I am grateful for Steven and his involvement in the Friendship family.

Regular schedule tomorrow morning and evening on our campus.

I pray that you will have a great Tuesday with Jesus.

The team had a different Sunday from years gone by.  Morning devotion was followed by attending the service at the GRACE Community Church.  Then lunch before heading out to El Rodeo.  This village was hit hard by the volcano eruption back in June of last year.  They still do not have water.  Four hundred and fifty families live there.

So, the Gospel was presented for about forty minutes and then each family will given a bag of food.  The babies and older women were given blankets, caps and such.  Then each person was fed a meal consisting of some type soup and tortillas.  Approximately seven hundred folks were fed.

The team then came back for a time of food and fellowship.

Thank you for praying for this team.  Please continue to do so.

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  (Psalm 119:11)

Happy birthday to our daughter, Henni!  If my math is correct then she is 27 years old today.  Technically she is not our daughter but we have always included her as such.  Hope she has a great day!

No real reports from home but I am told that Bro. Johnny did a nice job of preaching the Word in our services yesterday.  Prayerfully, he was blessed with a good love offering too.

I pray that you will have a great Monday with Jesus.

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  (Psalm 119:11)

Bro. Johnny Tucker will be in our pulpit for all three services today.  I pray the members of the Friendship family will be faithful.

Remember, we will receive a love offering for Bro. Johnny in all three of the services.  Pray and give as the Lord leads.

I pray that you will have a great Sunday with Jesus.

The team enjoyed a good Saturday.  The day started with musical worship led by Kay Ann Deubner with an assist from Dean Kapenga.  Pastor Bob Harvey then brought a word from the Word.

The medical team went one direction (I do not know which one) and the building team went West.  Both groups had really good days.  Laurie King is coordinating the mobile clinics and always does a nice job.  I appreciate Laurie and the work she does in this area.

Supper was followed by a time of fellowship.  So, it was a good day all the way around.

Pray for this team.  Thank you.

The team arrive on the mountain around 11:30PM on Thursday night, 1/31/19.  We are very thankful that our Michigan friends were able to get out of Grand Rapids as the weather had been nasty.  They met three others in Atlanta and the rest is history.

The Friday morning was different.  First, breakfast was cold i.e. cereal and breakfast bars.  The morning devotional time was a bit abbreviated with no musical worship.  Then everyone headed down the hill to the site of the new school for a ground breaking ceremony.  There the team was joined by local and state dignitaries including principals from other schools, officials from the state department of education, the head of the state department of education and the governor of the state of Chimaltenango.  Also, Delmar (the contractor) and his wife, Fabiola (the architect) joined the team along with some of Delmar’s key workers.

Deidra had planned a nice program.  Some of the children shared, one mother shared, the head of the education department shared, the governor shared, Lazaro shared and Deidra shared.  Then a photo-op with the shovels symbolizing the “breaking” of the ground.  Afterwards a reception was held in the feeding center building and it was nicely done.

Ok, enough of the soft stuff.  The building team under the direction of Dean Kapenga took off and they completed three houses to the point of being ready for concrete while getting the lumber in the ground on three more.  The medical team under the direction of Dr. Mark Stid (actually Dr. Karen is the boss but do not tell Dr. Mark) headed out and had a fairly easy day of doing medical.  Terri Scholz cleaned teeth of some of the children in the feeding center ministry.

Supper was served and then a time of fellowship followed.  That was this team’s Friday.

Thank you for praying and thank you for checking on this team.  All is well.

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  (Psalm 119:11)

Let’s begin with some good news!  This is what I received from Larry Whitehurst yesterday – “the oncologist did not see any damage to surrounding tissue from the radiation. The tumor has not grown. It does take an uncertain length of time for the radiation to kill the cells in the core of the tumor but 90 percent of the time it does work. We will follow up with another MRI in six months.”  Praise the Lord!  Larry & Judy have been trusting God through all of this and they continue to do so.  Keep praying!

Gloria Whitmore has been discharged from the hospital – are you kidding me!  What an amazing person Gloria is when it comes to going through surgery and then recovering completely like two hours later.  Seriously, pray for Gloria as she goes through rehab (which will probably be like two days!)

I am told that Miss Catherine Leach is doing well and has a great attitude.  She always seems to be one with a positive attitude.  Keep praying as she too will be in rehab.

Bro. Benny and our bus workers meet this morning at 8:30AM.  Pray for this ministry.

Our basketball leagues play today beginning at 8:00AM.  I think Marcus is working so that means Eddie is totally in charge – help us!  (I am going to see if Bob Evans can lend Eddie a hand!)  Pray for this ministry.

Evangelist Johnny Tucker will be our guest in the pulpit at Friendship this Sunday, 2/3.  Friendship family, please be faithful to attend all three services.  Remember, we will receive a love offering for Bro. Johnny in all three services too.  Pray and then give as the Lord leads.

The amount given and pledged to the school construction now stands at just under $522,000.  Amazing!  Just amazing!  We hope to continue receiving gifts and pledges as we would love to be fully funded for the first year before it begins and to have the third level completed as well.  Thank you to all who have prayed and to those who are giving.  What a blessing!  Glory to God!

I pray that you will have a great Saturday with Jesus.